Automobiles are varied in form and function. Some automobiles are built for speed, others are built for fuel economy, and still others are built for hauling large loads. Whether fast, economical, or haulers, all automobiles benefit from having some sense of organization. A fast automobile requires organization to properly align its minimalist parts and structure to achieve a desired speed. An economical automobile requires organization to provide adequate room for occupants and luggage, but not guzzle gas. A hauling automobile requires organization so that everything being hauled does not simply become disorganized and damaged.
Traditionally, pickup trucks have been used for many typical hauling activities. In the simplest form of organization, a toolbox is frequently installed in the bed of pickup to allow carpenters and others to carry their tools to and from jobs in an organized fashion. The toolbox leaves a large portion of the pickup truck bed untouched, and thus, that untouched portion can be easily used to store items that the user does not want to confuse with tools.
As pickup trucks have become more generally accepted for even everyday use by the average homeowner, the need for organization beyond typical job use has emerged. For example, if the user wants to carry a bicycle in a pickup truck, as well as garbage for the dump, as well as bags of mulch from the hardware store, there emerges the need for a way to partition a pickup truck bed depending upon the relative size and shape of the items being stored therein. Even for carpenters and other tradesmen, partitioning the bed of pickup trucks is not enough, but there exists a need for a variable partitioning method that is fully adjustable for the various sizes of loads to be partitioned.
Further, there is a need for a partitioning system that is particularly designed with the pickup truck bed in mind. A pickup truck bed is unique compared to a conventional drawer, for example, because a pickup truck bed is subject to inertia and swaying motion while the pickup truck is moving. Moreover, a pickup truck bed has wheel wells that intrude into the usable space of the pickup truck bed itself.
Although there are multiple compartment dividers already in existence, they have inherent limitations that ultimately restrict their usefulness.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,629,807 issued to Bernardo on Oct. 7, 2003, is a truck bed cargo barrier, primarily used to stabilize cargo both longitudinally and laterally. Bernardo's device uses a track system on the sides of the pickup truck bed; however, Bernardo's device does not anticipate that an extendable swinging gate or door might be needed, as does the present invention. Bernardo's device does not recognize that there is added protection required for a unit carried in the bed of a pickup truck. Merely dividing the bed of a pickup truck and using bungie cords is not stable protection for a unit carried in the bed of a pickup truck. Additionally, Bernardo's device, unlike the present invention, does not have a locking piece that positions the gate in Bernardo's device along a rail system—and without a locking piece, Bernardo's device cannot effective restrain a unit carried in the bed of a pickup truck from movement during transportation.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,524,043 issued to Earle et al. on Feb. 25, 2003, is an adjustable cargo gate system for a flatbed. Earle et al.'s device uses a plurality or series of tracks positioned along the bottom of the truck bed in addition to a gate. Unlike the present invention, Earle et al's device does not contemplate mounting along tracks on the side rails of a bed of a pickup truck. The only stability provided by Earle et al.'s device is along the floor of the bed of a pickup truck; and the present invention has much more than merely tracks along the floor of the bed of a pickup truck.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,688,821 issued to Snyder on Feb. 10, 2004, shows an adjustable cargo area organizer system witch a first divider that spans the bed of a pickup truck from side to side, and the first divider is abutted up against the two side walls of the pickup truck bed. Slots on the front and the backside of the first divider receive dividing members that slide into place. Thus, with Snyder's device, a user is able to partition the bed of a pickup truck. Unlike the present invention, Snyder's device does not employ side rails to easily position the first divider towards the front and rear of the bed of a pickup truck. Further, unlike the present invention, Snyder's device does not allow for the first divider to clear wheel wells. Moreover, unlike the present invention, Snyder's device does not contemplate and means for stability from the floor of the bed of a pickup truck in case a unit presses hard against the first divider.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,850 issued to Johnson on Dec. 24, 1996, shows a truck bed cargo divider that has a panel that is roughly the same dimensions as the tailgate on a pickup truck. A track mounted on the sidewalls of the bed of the pickup truck allows the panel to ride the length of the bed of the pickup truck. Cut out areas allow the panel to move past the wheel wells of the pickup truck, and doors attached to the panel are adapted to close off the cut out areas when not obstructed by the wheel wells. Locking bolts on each side of the panel engage slots in the sidewalls of the pickup truck and the floor of the pickup truck. Unlike the present invention, Johnson's device does not drop down to allow insertion of heavy items into the pickup truck bed. Further, unlike the present invention, Johnson's invention does not have two panels that are mounted roughly perpendicular to one another to securely hold a unit by sliding both front and rear as well as left and right in a pickup truck bed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,479 issued to Bott on Dec. 1, 1992, shows a cargo restraint system that is mounted to a floor of a pickup truck bed. Unlike the present invention, Bott's device does not have mounting to sidewalls of the pickup truck, and further, does not have any adaptation for clearing the wheel wells of a pickup truck. Moreover, Bott's device does not have any adaptation for securing a unit held on one side of device so that the unit will not move and/or be tossed about.
U.S. Pat. No. D380,706 issued to Gardner on Jul. 8, 1997, shows a truck bed insert that is a panel mounted from left to right across the bed of a pickup truck. Gardner's device appears to be mounted to tracks along the floor of the pickup truck bed, and Gardner's device is also secured to ropes that are attached to each rear corner of the pickup truck. Unlike the present invention, Gardner's device is not wide enough to span the entire width of a pickup truck bed—from left to right—because Gardner's device is short to avoid contacting the wheel wells of a pickup truck. Further, unlike the present invention, Gardner's device does not have any mounting means to a sidewall track of the pickup truck. Moreover, unlike the present invention, Gardner's device does not have a plurality of panels for securely holding a unit in the bed of the pickup truck. Also, Gardner is meant to retrieve items from a cargo bay.
Thus, there is a need for device that allows secure but readily accessible placement of cargo in the bed of a pickup truck. A user does not want to merely rely on bungee cords and straps to secure items, but the user needs compartmentalized storage. Further, the user needs compartmentalized storage that can shift so that the size of compartments can vary as desired.
Moreover, the user needs a device that is fully capable of collapsing in the event that large and/or heavy items are loaded into the bed of a pickup truck—the problem being that a large and/or heavy item needs to be freely loaded in the bed of a pickup truck without obstructions, and once in, the large and/or heavy item needs to be secured. Currently, should a large and/or heavy item need to be loaded in the bed of a pickup truck, any partition or compartmentalized storage and securing system needs to be removed and reinstalled once the large and/or heavy item has been loaded. Not only is such an operation time consuming, but such an operation is enough of an impediment that the user might tend to avoid the entire use of any partition or compartmentalized storage and securing system altogether.
In short, there is a need for a fully adjustable device for securing items in the bed of a pickup truck that can easily be moved out of the way when loading large and/or heavy objects.